The Detroit Lions at least spared us the 10 minute wait to announce the pick we already knew was coming. Thanks. So the Lions have a quarterback of the future, ditto the Bears and Packers. Will the Vikings join the party by trying to get a quarterback today? I doubt it, they would have to move to the mid-teens probably to get a guy like Josh Freeman, and I don’t think the Vikings have the ammo to do that, so there are pretty much stuck with T-Jack and Sage. Good luck with that. Rams are on the clock.
3:17 PM: Rams take Jason Smith, no surprise there. Solid safe pick. Chiefs are on the clock, we could get the first trade here.
3:30 PM: Tyson Jackson to the Chiefs at three. This guy soared up the draft boards recently. Amazing, one guy had him the 48th best player in the draft. I thought he would be there for the Packers at nine for sure. Shows how much I know.
3:34 PM: Geez, we moving right along. Seahawks take linebacker Aaron Curry. Another safe pick.
3:39 PM: The Jets trade up. Got to be the quarterback.
3:41 PM: So the Jets replace Brett Favre with Mark Sanchez. This could be big for the Jets, I like Sanchez better than Matthew Stafford. The Jets are going all-in this offseason since firing Eric Mangini.
3:55 PM: Andre Smith is gone. Good, I sure as heck didn’t want him in Green Bay. Good luck in Cincinnati.
3:58 PM: Darrius Heyward-Bey goes to the Raiders. I heard rumors of that happening. Now it’s looking like Crabtree might be there at nine. If he is, I think the Packers will take him.
4:05 PM: The Jags take Eugene Monroe. Packers are on the clock and Crabtree has got to be the pick. Raji is still there, though. The Packers have a tough decision to make. I would have loved had Monroe slid one more spot.
4:14 PM: It’s B.J. Raji! I have to say I am not unhappy with Raji. I just thought Crabtree would have been a great addition and given Aaron Rodgers some unbelievable weapons with Greg Jenning and Jordy Nelson. Now Crabtree just went to the 49ers. Good pick for the Packers. If Justin Harrell can pull off a miracle and actually get healthy, the Packers have the makings of young, strong defensive line that so lacking last year when the Packers couldn’t stop anybody.
I loved it when the pick was announced you could hear the Packers fight song playing in the background – Go Pack Go!
5:32 PM: The Lions added tight end Brandon Pettigrew and the Vikings wide receiver Percy Harven. The NFC North is stocking up on playmakers, good thing the Packers did take Raji, they might be thinking defense again when they pick at 41. Seeing what the Lions and Vikings are doing on offense has to factor in a little. Thank God the Vikings don’t have a quarterback. The Lions are doing things the right way today, a far cry form the days of Matt Millen. While they are probably a year or two away from competing in the division, the Lions are raising a few eyebrows today.
5:53 PM: Ted Thompson trades for a first-round pick? What is the world coming to? This is amazing. Who does he want that bad?
6:01 PM: Now we know why Thompson doesn’t trade down. Wow, a second and two thirds for Clay Matthews? I’ve seen Matthews rated anywhere from 90th best in the draft all the way down to 12th, the later by Bob McGinn of the Journal-Sentinel. Very interesting. The joy of Raji now brings bewilderment. Not saying I don’t like the move, apparently Thompson doesn’t see value in rounds two and three. Maybe there is more wheeling and dealing to be done too, but this was an out-of-character move for Ted Thompson, that is for sure.